Haiti is experiencing an incredible security crisis. Armed groups are unleashing deadly violence, pushing the country further into lawlessness and reportedly in “free fall.” Ever since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021, conditions have soured precipitously. The power vacuum created by his death has enabled gangs to deepen their grip over wide swaths of the country. According to a recent UN report, rapidly increasing violence has forced more than one million Haitians to flee their homes. Additionally, 5.5 million people are experiencing high acute food insecurity for the first time.
The continued upheaval has been met with international condemnation. Perhaps the most visible effort has been the Kenya-led police force known as the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS). To date, this promising initiative has yet to bounce back into the driver’s seat. Gangs have flooded Port-au-Prince and other regions.
Rise of Armed Groups
Since late last year, criminal gangs have escalated these armed incursions throughout Port-au-Prince, attacking prisons and other public institutions. As the National Human Rights Defense Network reports, only 10 percent of the city remains in government hands. This unforeseen circumstance adds to a rising feeling of tumult and uncertainty nationwide.
The yoomkin rights group R3.0 gives a straightforward warning. Declaring emergencies without fixing the militarization of policing will not solve the deeper security crisis.
“Declaring emergencies without equipping police with necessary resources, like effective armored vehicles, will not solve the insecurity crisis,” – National Human Rights Defense Network.
The lack of a coordinated state response has put police departments in the position of having to respond to the crisis. The National Human Rights Defense Network shines a light on a darker undercurrent. As police moved from community prevention to external problem response, cities have crumbled like dominoes.
“The absence of state response has turned the police into firefighters—constantly reacting without strategic direction—while towns fall one after another,” – National Human Rights Defense Network.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
And as violence deepens, Haiti’s humanitarian crisis deepens by the day. Save the Children has released shocking stats. As of the first three months of 2025, more than 40,000 children have been internally displaced. Violence has impacted too many families. With insecurity raging, mothers are having difficulties providing basic needs for their children.
Chantal Sylvie Imbeault, Save the Children’s Haiti country director, explains what children are experiencing as crisis rapidly descends across the region.
“Children in Haiti are trapped in a nightmare,” – Chantal Sylvie Imbeault.
She reminds us that these children are growing up in territory dominated by non-state actors. They are deprived of enjoying their childhood and live under the daily fear of being forcefully recruited by gangs. In addition, humanitarian aid efforts are critically affected and restricted by the parallel violent climate.
“They are living in deadly areas controlled by armed groups, being robbed of a normal childhood, and at constant risk of recruitment—while humanitarian aid struggles to reach them,” – Chantal Sylvie Imbeault.
Ongoing Political Crisis
This return of gang violence has contributed to a deepening political crisis in Haiti. In light of the deteriorating security context, authorities imposed a new, one-month state of emergency on April 7. As just one example, many national and local observers doubt whether such measures can be impactful in the absence of robust funding support for police.
Human Rights Watch senior Americas researcher Nathalye Cotrino underscores the weeping anguish of all Haitians who are now suffering as violence is rapidly increasing, out of control.
“Haiti’s security situation is in a free fall and Haitians are suffering horrific abuses,” – Nathalye Cotrino.
The combination of armed group violence and ineffective government responses continues to leave the population vulnerable and desperate for stability.
